Amos 8:7 Now the Lord has sworn this oath by his own name, the Pride of Israel:… In Hebrew the name is “The Pride of Jacob.” Remember, Jacob’s name was changed to Israel after wrestling with God. I read a post recently that said, “So much of Genesis is about Jacob’s struggle to make God his God.” This is an interesting point. Why would one of God’s names be The Pride of Jacob if it took Jacob so long to even make God his own God? I suddenly realize how little I know of Jacob. I think that maybe I will go back and study him a little so that I can better understand this name of God. Perhaps this name has something to do with the fact that it took Jacob quite some time to take pride in God and accept his name change. Similarly, it took God a long time to finally punish the nation of Israel. God had patience with both Jacob and his namesake nation. It’s an interesting name.
Jeremiah 15: 16 Your words are what sustain me. They bring me great joy and are my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty. All through the book of Jeremiah, God is telling Jeremiah about the punishment that Israel will incur because they have turned so totally away from God. Jeremiah usually responds either by asking God for protection and mercy or by reminding God how he is totally dependent on Him. There are times when he is confused by he is suffering along with the people, and times when he is frustrated because everyone hates him (since his message of destruction is so unpopular – can’t imagine why). In this part of the chapter he goes on to ask why his wound (?) is so incurable and why God’s help seems so uncertain. God says to return to Him and be restored (was Jeremiah influenced by the corruption around him? Or did he not want to tell Israel the words of God? I don’t know). Anyhow, I liked this verse. Jeremiah’s word of God was literally the spoken word of God. Our word of God is the written word of God. We get it second hand, but Jeremiah had it straight from His mouth. How powerful that must have been! I know that when I’m hurting or upset, and I read my Bible, I’m hoping to read something that will encourage or uplift me or remind me of God’s love and faithfulness and promises. If just reading that brings hope, I can only imagine what it must be like to hear that straight out of the mouth of God! Talk about affirmation! Jeremiah talks about bearing God’s name. I’m not entirely sure what he means by that. To bear something means to carry it or to survive it (as in, I can hardly bear to hear that said). He carried the words of God to the people Israel, so it’s pretty likely that that’s what he meant. As Christ-followers, we bear the name (or carry the name) of Jesus, too. As we try to live the way He wants us to, we are “Jesus with skin on” to the people around us. And that should bring us joy and delight. Not because it gets us stuff, but because we are so blessed and fortunate to be loved and chosen by such an amazing God. His words sustain in time of trouble, and we find joy because we bear His name.